1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to adhesive labels, and in particular to a partially-secured label and a method of manufacturing same utilizing an adhesive deadening agent.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Labels are well known and various types have been proposed to meet the requirements of a wide variety of label applications. For example, labels are extensively used in retail businesses for communicating product information to customers. Examples of labels used in retail merchandising include product labeling, preprinted packaging, and point-of-purchase display labels.
Point-of-purchase displays typically place merchandise within easy reach of consumers. Exemplary applications include self-service grocery, department, discount, and specialty stores and shops. Many of the merchandise items in such establishments lend themselves to shelf displays. For example, product containers such as boxes, bottles, jars, cans, and the like are typically well-suited for shelf displays. Such self-service retail marketing arrangements are popular with merchants because customers typically make their own selections. Labor costs can thus be minimized. However, personnel are needed for labeling the shelves adjacent to the merchandise stocked and displayed thereon.
Shelf-mounted labels commonly identify products and include such information as quantities and pricing. Certain types of retail businesses, such as grocery stores and discount merchandisers, experience frequent price changes. Consequently the point-of-purchase displays are frequently relabeled in many such establishments.
A common type of shelf label has an outer surface with the aforementioned information printed thereon and an inner surface with adhesive and non-adhesive portions. The adhesive portion of the inner surface is designed for adhering the label to the front, or outer, edge of a shelf. Such labels are commonly manufactured in sheets, each of which includes a number of labels. The label face stock layer is precut into a plurality of discrete labels. The backs of the label sheets are typically perforated or otherwise precut to separate the adhesive portions from the non-adhesive portions. For example, the entire back of the face stock layer can be coated with adhesive, which can mount a liner. In forming the prior art labels, portions of the liner are removed to expose the label adhesive portions. Removing a portion of the back liner from each such prior art label thus provides both adhesive and non-adhesive portions of the label inner surface.
Although such prior art shelf labels are in widespread use and can be manufactured with existing equipment, they are subject to several disadvantages. For example, such prior art labeling operations tend to be relatively labor intensive. More specifically, the label sheets must be separated into discrete labels and the liner portions which are designed for removal must be removed. The store personnel can then mount the labels by pressing the adhesive portions of the inner surfaces against the shelf edges whereby messages printed on the label outer surfaces are visible. Such messages can be preprinted when the labels are manufactured in “service bureau” operations. Alternatively, blank label sheets can be provided for printing and marking by the customers. The labels can be partly printed during manufacture. Additional message information, such as pricing, can be applied to the labels at the point-of-purchase.
Heretofore, there has not been available a partially-secured label, label sheet and method of manufacturing same with the advantages and features of the present invention.